Dr Debra Stokes BA (Hons) (La Trobe), PhD (Waikato) Participates in first year units Earth Systems I: The Lithosphere and Earth Systems II: The Hydrosphere Debra is interested in estuarine and marine ecology and coastal geomorphology. After graduating from La Trobe University with a BA (Hons) in Environmental Science, Debra moved to New Zealand to undertake a PhD investigating the physical and ecological impacts of mangrove expansion, and mangrove removal in New Zealand estuaries. Before starting at SCU in 2010, Debra worked as a coastal ecologist, and was responsible for developing bivalve habitat mapping projects, methodologies to rank coastal environments for conservation, continued with the monitoring of effects of mangrove removal, and supervised coastal monitoring programs.
Journal articles
Expansion dynamics of mono-specific, temperate mangroves and sedimentation in two embayments of a barrier-enclosed lagoon, Tauranga Harbour, New Zealand (with Terry R. Healy and Penelope J. Cooke), Journal of Coastal Research (2010)
In recent years, mangrove expansion has become a coastal management issue in the North Island...
Surface elevation changes and sediment characteristics of intertidal surfaces undergoing mangrove expansion and mangrove removal, Waikaraka Estuary, Tauranga Harbour, New Zealand (with Terry R. Healy and Penelope J. Cooke), International Journal of Ecology & Development (2009)
Since the 1940s mangroves have expanded their areal coverage in many estuaries in the northern...
Mangroves in New Zealand, Coastal News (2006)
Mangroves in New Zealand? New Zealand must be far too cold for such things, surely?...
Conference publications
The benthic ecology of expanding mangrove habitat, Tauranga Harbour, New Zealand (with Terry R. Healy and Norman Mason), Proceedings of Coasts and Ports Conference 2009 (2009)
Mangrove expansion and their human removal in Tauranga Harbour, New Zealand (with Terry R. Healy), Proceedings of Coasts and ports, coastal living - living coast : Australasian Conference (2005)
Mangrove (Avicennia marina var. australasica) populations have expanded rapidly in recent years in northern parts...
Reports
Ecological prioritisation of estuaries in the Waikato Region (with Malene Felsing and Catherine Beard), Environment Waikato Internal Series 2009/03 (2009)
Assessment of physical changes after mangrove removal: Whangamata Harbour 2008, Environment Waikato TR 2009/13 (2008)
Sediment cores were taken and epifaunal counts carried out in the following areas:
1. cleared...